Ordinary Hero
by eriphi
Summary: The Rixxi's planet is quite nice. If you don't count the poison, the cannibals and the rain. Rory loves travelling with the Doctor. Sometimes.  Today just isn't one of those days.
1. Chapter 1

Ordinary Hero

Summary: The Rixxi's planet is quite nice. If you don't count the poison, the cannibals and the rain. Rory loves travelling with the Doctor. Sometimes. Occasionally. Maybe once or twice. Today just isn't one of those days.

Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. The Rixxi are free to a good home.

Sporky beta'd this for me and caught the ridiculous grammar slips that afflicted it. Please go read her stories (after this one?)

This is a five (or so) chapter story with danger, adventure and a helping of h/c. It is set before Hungry Earth/Cold Blood, among the unseen adventures after Amy's Choice. It is complete. The last couple of chapters are awaiting polishing, but it shouldn't take too long.

As always, comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading.

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><p>"Welcome to the planet of the Rixxi," the Doctor said as he threw the door of the TARDIS open to dazzling sunlight. "Planet of the most spectacular skyscrapers this side of the Galactic Arm and home to the creators of the best Jetpack ever made. You can rent them for the day and try them out through the subway tunnels."<p>

Amy was at the front and first to look out the open door. She brought her head back in again and said. "Skyscrapers, huh?"

The Doctor poked his head out, then came back in. He checked his wristwatch. "Well, we may be slightly earlier than planned. Or we might be later. I was a bit unclear on the dates when I last visited. The TARDIS chronometer circuits were probably on a self-limiting variance loop. Or it was that girl with the peach milkshake."

"Peach milkshake?"

"It was complicated."

Rory was the only one who had not seen outside. As the Doctor tried to explain why peach milkshake affected his 'normally excellent local time awareness', Rory stuck his head past the door. He was hit by a tropical heat and the scent of blossom.

The TARDIS was parked atop a small rise in a dense forest. There were small tufty bushes nearby, while further away were the tallest trees he had ever seen. They looked as big as the skyscrapers that he had expected. There were no signs of buildings and the only things flying in the air were birds. Definitely no jetpacks here.

He pulled his head back into the cool of the TARDIS so that they all stood around the door. The Doctor said, "Not much like I remembered."

"Maybe we just landed in a park? Or a sort of green belt rainforest?" Amy suggested.

"No. The Rixxi don't approve of parks or forests. Or didn't approve. Or won't, depending on whether we're late or early. Tall trees don't mix with Jetpacks as a mode of transportation - too many leaves and branches to get caught up on the machinery and cause crashes. So the they built over everything. Or will build. Or are building..." He paused, then said, "Right, stopping that. Annoying myself now. The last time I was here, whether before or after now, the whole planet was covered in one city. No trees, no leaves, nothing that wasn't built by the Rixxi."

"So why is it a forest now?"

"I don't know. Possibly the Rixxi haven't evolved yet. Although that's unlikely. I'm sure we're not that early." He tapped his wristwatch before peering closely at its face. Then he licked his finger and held it into the air. "Something happened that levelled the city so completely that I can't detect a taste of industrial chemicals in the air. Want to find out?"

"Actually, I'm okay," Rory said. He could imagine all kinds of dreadful things that might turn a city the size of a planet into a forest. All out war, raging alien attack, vengeful trees... None of them were things that he really wanted to go looking for. The Doctor seemed disappointed by his lack of adventure.

"We're still going to look around, though," Amy said as she nudged Rory. "It's a planet. I bet it's full of interesting planet stuff."

"I don't count something that could destroy a city as interesting, Amy. What if the trees, you know, come alive, or something?" he trailed off.

"Thata girl, Amy," the Doctor said. "Rory, I promise I'll protect you if the trees come alive. I've got a sonic screwdriver. Come on." He strode out of the door.

"I thought it didn't work on wood?" Rory shouted after him.

The Doctor did not answer. He would probably claim that he could not hear over the sound of the birds, but Rory knew when he was being ignored.

But three hours later, even he had to acknowledge that it was quite a nice planet. There were no deadly robots or scary insects and the trees stayed reassuringly still and woody. Nothing attacked or threatened them. For once, Rory thought that they might get to visit somewhere without having to run for their lives.

It was a beautiful place, like the TV programmes he had seen of the Amazonian Rainforest. The leaves were were vibrant shades of green and blue and the air was full of the steady drone of insects. A group of flying lizards provided a display that would have put a flock of starlings to shame They explored for a while. Amy persuaded Rory to climb a couple of trees like they had done when they were children, and, as always, left him among the lower branches.

When hunger started to niggle, the Doctor reassured them that the peach looking fruits hanging low in the trees were quite safe to eat. "Even considered a delicacy by the Rixxi," he said. "They grew them in greenhouses."

They ate their lunch beside a river teeming with fish. These enjoyed the peach-fruits as much as Rory and Amy and swam around their feet devouring each piece that they dropped into the water.

Afterwards they decided to make an effort to find out what had happened, or would happen to the Rixxi. It was a half-hearted attempt at best. Even the Doctor did not seem to want to expend too much energy on a search. They found some rubble under a knot of vines that might have come from a building, but equally may have been an unusual rock formation. There were twisted bars at the top of one of the tall trees, but it was impossible to tell if they were metal or just a different kind of wood from the forest floor.

Finally, Amy gave up and tugged Rory down to enjoy the heat of the afternoon sun. The Doctor scowled at them as they leaned back against a tree. "Well, it's a nice planet. Except it's so boring," he said.

Rory said, "Boring is all right. I like this."

"Really. You like this? You might as well live your life asleep."

Amy came to Rory's defence. "But sometimes it's nice not to threaten stuff, or run away, or watch people die, or be terrified all the time or..."

Rory added, "Or be covered in mud, or wet, or have to run away from monsters, or fight with sticks or..."

"Or be knocked unconscious, or have to fight for our lives, or be thrown around the TARDIS or..."

"All right. Point taken." The Doctor threw himself down onto the ground beside them and stuck his hands behind his head.

They sat in silence for a little while. Perhaps ten minutes, which must have been some kind of record for the Doctor, Rory thought.

When it became too much, he said, "The Rixxi were exciting. You'd have liked them, Amy. Not the most environmentally conscious, obviously, and pretty appalling custodians of the planet, but exciting. They did everything fast. Jetpacks, motor scooters, hydroplaning. They used to organise hunts when one Rixxi would hide somewhere in the city and the rest, maybe hundreds of them, would hunt him down. Like a planet wide hide and seek."

"Sounds like fun," Amy said.

"Sounds dangerous," said Rory.

"Oh yes, it was dangerous. And fun. I think it was a throw-back to how they used to hunt their food. Lots of people use hunting as a ceremonial behaviour. Although there are some interesting variations. The Loris of Reuben Nine used to have a hunt like that game with the Mars Bars and the dice."

"I love that game!" Amy said. "When we were little we played that game at Jeff's party. Rory..."

"I don't think he needs to hear this story," Rory said.

"Sure he does..." Amy started, but was interrupted.

If it had not been for the terrible screeching that now filled the forest, Rory might have been glad that the Doctor had not got to hear the rest of that story.

The Doctor was first to react. He jumped up and said. "Now that sounds like the Rixxi! A lot of Rixxi. About time for them to show up and explain what's happened to their planet." The noise modulated to a higher note. His face dropped. "Oh, dear."

"Oh dear what?" Amy demanded.

"Oh dear. Hunting. Like we are the deer, and they might be hunting. I never explained properly about the hunting, did I?"

"No!" Amy and Rory said in unison.

"No time now. I think we should run..."

And without hesitation, he turned away from the noise and into the undergrowth. Amy and Rory were right behind him.

Running, Rory thought. Now there was something familiar. He would have sighed if he could have spared the breath.

There was no obvious path for them to follow, but the Doctor seemed to have an unfailing sense of the easiest way. He pushed through vines and jumped over little streams into clearings where they could pick up speed. Even where the way seemed to be blocked by a wall of leaves, he aimed at a point where the branches were thinnest. They made good progress.

Despite that, the noise grew louder.

Rory ran as closely behind as he could, but he had not spent hundreds of years perfecting running away into an art. His feet found the uneven ground and he splashed into the water until his trainers were soaking. Every branch the Doctor pushed out of the way seemed to wait until Rory arrived to whip back. His arms were probably a mass of scratches and his eyes were watering from the twigs that caught him across the forehead.

In the end, though, it was not the branches that were their undoing, but the roots on the forest floor.

One minute Amy was in front of him, the next she was on the ground in a heap.

Rory was concentrating on not losing an eye and could not stop in time. He landed on top of her. In the tangle of limbs, Amy said. "Ow. Rory, get off!"

He apologised as he pulled himself up as quickly as he could. The Doctor was beside them too and offered Amy a hand. She managed to stand, then fell down again as her ankle buckled under her weight.

"Ow," she said again as she clutched her leg. Her face was very pale.

The Doctor had the sonic screwdriver out and pointed at the injured ankle. He frowned as he looked at the result, then he inspected Amy's face closely.

"Okay," he said. "You can't walk on that ankle and we can't stay here waiting for the Rixxi with their spears. So, a plan..."

"They have spears?" Amy asked.

"You have a plan?" Rory said at the same time.

"Yes, they have spears. They're hunting. And yes, I have a plan. You wait here. Hide behind the trees. I'll lead them away."

"That's not a plan!"

"I admit I've had better plans, but I don't hear either of you with better ideas. No? So, Rory, stay here with Amy and keep her safe. I'll be back soon."

Without another word, he picked her up under the elbows and shoved her into a thick area of branches. Then he pushed Rory in after her. For the second time in as many minutes he landed on top of her in a tangle of arms, legs and branches.

The tree sprang back across the opening, then the Doctor poked his head back through to look at them. A couple of leaves had lodged in his hair. "Now, for goodness sake, don't move. Don't make a sound. And wait here. Don't come after me. Be back soon."

Then he was gone and all that they could see was dark green leaves.

Amy looked rebellious and crossed her arms.

Rory muttered to himself, "I have a bad feeling about this."

Seconds later the keening became louder than they could bear. Rory stuffed his fingers into his ears and neither of them moved. He found himself holding his breath and praying that the dense leaves would screen them from their pursuers.

Then the Rixxi reached them. The noise was incredible. Pounding feet added to the howling screams. Branches broke from the trees and the ground vibrated. The smell of sweat and earth filled the air.

They could see nothing until Amy leaned forward so she could lift some of the leaves close to the ground. Rory put out his hand to stop her, but she shook him off.

They could only see bare feet as the ran past. Rory's impression was of taut muscles and tattoos to the knee. A few spears dangled a foot from the ground at their owner's backs. The tips were dark and functional. They looked ideal for killing things and chopping them up to eat them.

Even Amy seemed disinclined to take a closer look. So they satisfied themselves by just looking at the running feet.

Rory shifted his weight a little and brushed against Amy's leg. She gasped.

They both froze. One of the Rixxi seemed to have heard as it stopped so close to the trees that Rory could see the hairs on its feet. The tattoos around the leg were black and circular in a tribal sort of pattern. Something struck him as unusual, but in the terror of the moment he could not think what it was. He expected the Rixxi to bend down any minute and see them staring out of the trees. His imagination supplied the rest; spears, torture and death.

Another pair of feet stopped. There was a howling conversation between the two. Rory did not hear any words. Perhaps that meant that the language was too primitive for the TARDIS to translate. It sounded like the apes in the zoo at feeding time. Whatever was communicated seemed to be understood, though. The two Rixxi moved off just as quickly as their fellows. Rory took the first breath he had in a long time.

Then, at last, the forest was silent.

That was an hour ago.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Amy asked for the hundredth time.

"The Doctor said we should stay here," Rory replied. Again.

"We can't just stay here. Something must have happened and we can't wait here."

"But he said we should."

"Rory! This is the Doctor we're talking about. Do you think he expects us to do what we're told?"

"Yes," Rory said reasonably. "If we go wandering off , he'll never know where to find us."

Amy crossed her arms angrily. "Rory Williams. If the Doctor could have come back to find us, he would be back by now. He's not. So we have to go find him and rescue him."

She crawled out of the trees and he followed reluctantly. It required a visible effort for her to haul herself up to stand on one leg, even with the support of a tree.

"You're not going anywhere like that," he said.

"Shut up. Am to."

"You can't stand."

"I am standing."

Rory stared at her until she put her foot on the ground. She stayed upright and smirked at him.

"And the tree?" Rory asked.

With rather more caution she took her hand off the tree. She wobbled, and fell onto the ground with a thump.

"See, I told you. You're not going walking anywhere on that ankle, let alone rescuing someone."

She rubbed the swollen joint around the bruise. "I thought you said it was only sprained."

"Yes. I think it's sprained. But it's a significant soft tissue injury and you cannot go walking on it."

She glared at him.

He should just pick Amy up and get back to the TARDIS as quickly as they could. He was not a hero or an adventurer. He was not even all that brave. He was just plain, ordinary Rory from Leadworth. Crazy rescue missions were the Doctor's speciality.

He knew he was going to regret this. He had not started and he regretted it already. What would the Doctor say? Tally-ho, or something like that. "Okay. I'll be back in a minute."

"What are you doing?"

"Going to get the Doctor. Then we're going to get the TARDIS and we are getting off this planet."

It was a mark of how painful her ankle was that she did not argue. Her face was very pale as he helped her back into the safety of the trees. It was a good thing he did. It was starting to rain.

"But you don't know where he is," she said when she was hunched down among the leaves.

"He was being followed by warriors with spears. They can't be hard to find. And it's the Doctor. I'm sure they're all having a nice cup of tea."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rory had worried that it might be difficult to track the Rixxi, but he had no problem finding or following their trail. They had crushed small trees like an express train and cut a swath through the jungle ten feet wide. Soon, he came across a dirt track that must have been made by thousands of Rixxi over many years. He stayed close to it, but just within the trees so he could duck out of sight if necessary. A couple of times he flinched at the buzzing of insects from the trees above, but there were no signs of the pursuit.

The biggest problem was the rain. It had only been a faint drizzle when he left Amy, but it had become heavier. Now it was falling in great heavy drops. He had given up trying to dry his face of the worst of it. His grandmother's words came to mind: "You'll catch your death in that rain, Rory."

At least Amy would be dry.

After walking for about a mile through puddles and mud, the trees began to thin around the path. The insects became quieter and a low musical hum filled the air. Rory climbed into the undergrowth and made more careful progress towards the sounds.

The Rixxi were keeping dry as well. They had gathered under a shelter like a marquee with the walls removed. The roof seemed to be made of branches and ferns and the supports were great trunks of wood. A crackling fire was lit in the centre of the space and the Rixxi were dancing to the drone of two long didgeridoo pipes.

As he watched, Rory realised what had disconcerted him about the aliens before. They were short. Really short. From his vantage just within the trees, he reckoned that the tallest must have been about four and a half feet, but most were much less. The women were smaller, but just as muscular. They all had tattoos extending around their legs and arms and onto their faces in complex swirls and tribal patterns. They wore smock type jerkins down to mid-thigh and tight hats over their unruly hair. Some had daggers hanging from the waist of the jerkins, but the spears were piled to one side.

He spotted the Doctor close to the fire. It looked like he was seated in the guest of honour position in a large wooden throne. Two of the Rixxi were standing at his knees. This seemed to be some kind of ceremonial position as they did not dance with the others. Each of them had a tall spear that crossed above the Doctor's head.

The Doctor was dry, too. He chatted happily to the two guards, who seemed to be ignoring him. At this distance it was impossible to hear what was being said, but Rory could imagine a long and animated discourse on something smart.

And if that had been it, he would not have felt so worried.

As it was, a deep fear was sinking into his stomach. Something was seriously wrong. How could the Doctor look so happy when his hands and feet were bound to the throne with rope? And that pot simmering on the fire looked big enough to cook a human. Or a Time Lord.

Rory waited for a few minutes, just watching and wiping the rain out of his eyes. It tasted strange where it dripped into his mouth, but he tried to ignore it and concentrate on the scene under the shelter. He told himself he was patiently gathering information, but he knew he was gathering courage. The Doctor continued to chatter away and made no effort to escape his bindings.

Finally, Rory accepted that there was nothing else to be done. He had to rescue the Doctor.

Creeping around the shelter was easy. All the dancers were concentrating on the fire and adding vegetables to the cooking pot. He tried to move quietly, but it was probably a wasted effort. The sound of the rain drowned out any noise he might have made. He slipped a couple of times on the slick leaves, but the Rixxi did not see him. Neither did the Doctor.

As he got closer, he could make out what the Doctor was saying over the droning music.

"...and I do love what you're doing with the spices. Is that all for me? It's very generous of you, but I'm not good with oregano. Well, when I say not good, I mean I've never been cooked with it before, but it's something I just feel instinctively. And that looks like an interesting kind of root vegetable. The peach fruits were good earlier, but of course I'm not sure if they are more of a dessert type dish. I would have to bow to your superior experience in this matter. I bet you don't get many of your meals telling you what worked and what didn't. Probably just a case of trying it to see."

Rory frowned. Something was really, really wrong.

"Rather a lot of rain there is. I don't remember that from the last time, because I visited here once. I think I've told you that. Maybe a few times. I'm having difficulty following the thread of a conversation. It's a new experience for me. Normally I like new experiences, but this one is rather different. What was I saying... yes... rain. When I was here before, the Rixxi had weather control and it's nice to see that the natural climate is reasserting itself. By the way, why your isn't your city here any more? Have I asked you that already? Have you answered? Not sure As I said, I'm having some problems with following the thread of a conversation. Although this is more monologue than dialogue, don't you..." He paused and looked horrified. "No!"

Rory froze. There was something about the way the Doctor said it that struck terror into him. He looked around, expecting to see the Rixxi attacking, or some new horror descending upon them. But the Doctor's shout seemed to have surprised them as well. The dancers were staring at the Doctor. The music had stopped.

"You can't do that! That's ridiculous."

Rory held his breath.

"You can't be thinking of putting a fish in with those spices, are you?"

The Rixxi nearest the pot stopped. Under the Doctor's glare, he replaced the fish on the plate.

"Good. Because if you are going to cook me, I'd rather you didn't mix your meats."

What was the Doctor playing at?

Rory paused just beyond the shelter. He was still out of sight among the trees. What was he supposed to do now? The Doctor would have had some spark of genius, or a crazy ill-considered plan that just worked. But he was just Rory, and he did not have a clue.

What would Amy do, he thought desperately. He smiled a little when he realised the answer. She wouldn't think. She would just do.

Without any further hesitation, because if he hesitated he might wimp out, he crept beyond the cover of the trees and towards the throne. He edged around the side and began to untie the ropes around the Doctor's wrists. The bindings were thick, but his fingers found the knot and began loosening it. If the Doctor could keep the Rixxi distracted for a couple of minutes, they might make it out of here after all.

Instead, the Doctor looked at him and said, "Oh, hello Rory. What are you doing down there?"

Rory looked up at the Rixxi. The music carried on and most were still dancing, but those nearest were staring straight at him.

"Are you going to untie me? That would be good. And helpful. Have I introduced you to my friends? Well, when I say friends, I'm not so sure that they are my friends. They might be your friends, Rory, but they have tied me to this chair and that is unfriendly. You see that big cook pot over there? I suspect that I'm going to end up in there and be eaten. Cannibalism is frowned upon by many civilisations, but given that I'm not the same species, that's technically incorrect.."

"Doctor," Rory said quietly. "Is there something wrong?"

He answered in the loudest stage whisper Rory had ever heard. Every one of the Rixxi stopped moving and looked at the two of them. "Yes, Rory. There is something wrong. I think I've been poisoned. See that goblet over there? I'd point, but my hands are a bit tied up at the moment. Keep untying by the way. That goblet was full of stuff and they made me drink it. Or they poured it down my throat, and it's hard not to drink something that is being poured down your throat when you're tied to a chair with rope. So yes, something wrong. They gave me poison. And now my thinking is a bit muddled... It's hard to follow the thread of a conversation. It's a good thing you were not captured, Rory. I'm managing to hold it off without too much of an effect on my faculties..."

"You think?" Rory muttered as he worked at the knots.

"But who knows what it might do to human physiology. It could be really dangerous, but it feels quite nice. Although I'm not sure why the Rixxi eat something that's been poisoned, but I've never tried cannabilism before so am ill qualified to comment. It might help with appreciating the local music. I do like it. Although," he said thoughtfully, "there are possibly other effects. It's an unusual poison, certainly. Difficult to characterise. You're a nurse, you'll understand there is a very fine line between poisoning and medicinal actions. Arsenic, for example..."

"Umm, Doctor. Do you think you could be quiet for a minute?"

"Are you telling me to shut up?"

"Yes."

"I'll try." He stuck his freed hand over his mouth.

The Rixxi were very still. They did not make an attempt to stop Rory as he began to work on the other hand. Perhaps the gibberish was just as confusing to them.

"Good work," the Doctor mumbled through his fingers. "Work faster."

The second hand was free, and the crowd still waited. What were they waiting for? Rory started on the ankles. One of the Rixxi began to advance forward, and another removed his knife slowly from its scabbard. Rory swore under his breath and ran his hands through his wet hair. There was so much rain in it that the effect was like a dog shaking after a bath. Droplets sprayed everywhere. He tried to decide what he was supposed to do to fight off an angry mob.

They did not attack. Instead, they shrank further back as if something had scared them. He did not understand, but there was no time to work it out. That was one foot free, and the other was nearly untied.

"Faster, Rory."

"I am going faster." His fingers slipped on the slick rope. Then it was free.

Whatever had scared them seemed to evaporate as soon as Rory pulled the Doctor to stand. As one, the crowd began to advance forward. Little daggers glinted in the firelight.

Now would be a really good time for a flash of brilliance, Rory thought. Perhaps some kind of sonic screwdriver magic, or a speech that convinced the Rixxi to let them go back to the TARDIS with their blessing. He held his breath and waited.

Instead, the Doctor said, "What do we do now?"

If this was a joke, it was not funny. Not funny at all. "Right, emm, well..."

"Rory. Do something!" the Doctor said urgently as the Rixxi moved closer.

He could only think of one thing to do. He grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled. "Run!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

For the second time that day, Rory found himself running through the forest. This time he was in the front and dragging the Doctor behind. The ground was slick with rain and it was hard to see more than a few feet ahead, but Rory kept his footing. All the time he expected to hear the screams of the Rixxi behind him.

Who knew how long they ran like this before before the Doctor's hand slipped out of his. Rory pulled up to a stop too, terrified that the Rixxi had caught the Doctor and they were going to take him back to that pot on the fire and then...

He realised that the only sound was the thrumming of the rain on the leaves. They were alone.

The Doctor was leaning against a tree and breathing hard. He was pale and soaking.

"Are you all right? You look awful," Rory said.

The Doctor waved a hand as he caught his breath. "Poisoned. Definitely still poisoned. Yeah. Good. Let's just not do that again. Ever. What are we going to do now? Sure that you've said already, but it's still a little hard to follow the thread of the conversation. Especially when running. Where are we running to?"

That blew any hope Rory had that everything was going to be all right now.

For a moment, he felt hopelessly lost. When he was small, he had lost his parents in one of the big supermarkets in town. He remembered standing in the aisles of the most awful place in the world with no idea how to get out or find help. It was a fear too big even for tears and he had stood trembling as big people hurried around him. Logically, he knew it had only been a few minutes before a security guard found him, but it had felt like hours.

That feeling of acute terror had made a lasting impression. He had not been able to sleep on his own for weeks, and even as an adult he could recall the sickening dread of being alone in an unfamiliar place. This time was worse. He had found the person who was supposed to help and he was adding to the danger instead.

But there was no point in dwelling on something that could not be changed. Rory took a quick look to make sure the Rixxi were not hiding in the shadows and got to work.

He knew he was a decent enough nurse, but there had definitely not been any lectures about this in his course. Unless he had missed the "The Proper Care and Management of Poisoned Aliens while on a Distant, Rain-Soaked Planet" tutorial. So he made do with basic principles. He did not need the Doctor collapsing before they reached the TARDIS.

"Do you know what the poison was?"

"Yes. Poisoned. I was poisoned. By the Rixxi. Think they were going to eat me. Wonder why they would poison me before they ate me. Seems to be a bit back to front, but hey, just a Time Lord and... What are you doing, Rory?"

"Checking your pulse."

"Why?"

"You were poisoned."

"Ah. By the Rixxi. Yes. I said that, didn't I." He shook his head so that drops of rain flew off his hair. "The thread of the conversation is a bit difficult to follow."

"You said that already."

"I did? Poison, you see."

Rory gave up asking questions and relied on physical examination. And all that could tell him was that the Doctor had a pulse, dilated pupils and a functioning larynx. Maybe the TARDIS would be able to sort the rest out.

Without being asked, the Doctor opened his mouth wide. "Oooo ouuuuuhhhh iiiisssss," he tried to say.

Rory had a quick look at his throat, although he had no idea what he was looking for. It seemed to be the right thing, because when the Doctor closed his mouth again he smiled. "See. I told you. Poison."

"Umm... Okay. What should we do about it?"

"I don't know. I got poisoned. You should know. You're the nurse. I'm just a..." he stopped, obviously realising that he was going to say, 'I'm just a Doctor,' and changed his mind. "And I'm not."

"Come on. We need to get back to Amy before the Rixxi follow us."

A crestfallen expression crossed the Doctor's face, then he hit his forehead with his palm. "Oh, yes, Amy. Where is she?"

"Where I left her. At least she should be."

"This is Amy we're talking about. Nothing short of being tied down is going to stop her. Although, why did she not come after me? Why are you here on your own?"

Rory resisted sighing as he explained, "She hurt her ankle. I don't think it's broken, but she's not going to be running for a while."

"I should remember that, shouldn't I? Oh dear. It really is hard to follow the thread of the conversation."

Rory checked around one more time. There was no sign of pursuit. He was glad, but he could not help being a little worried. He had the feeling that there was an important reason that no-one was following them, and that it might not be a good thing.

They were in a different part of the forest now. There was no sign of the path to the Rixxi's shelter that Rory had followed earlier. How were they supposed to get back to Amy?

"What way do we go?" the Doctor asked. No help there.

The shelter was behind them. Ahead would lead them further from the Rixxi, but away from the TARDIS and away from Amy as well. So they would have to go left or right. Rory reckoned if they tried to walk in a circle with the shelter in the centre, they should come across either the path or the swath that had been made through the forest. It would just be a case of following it back until they found Amy. Then it would be easy to find the TARDIS where they had left it. In theory.

Rory said, "This way," and began pushing through the trees to the left.

The Doctor stared at him.

"Oh, for goodness sake." Rory grabbed the Doctor's hand again, and pulled him along. He followed obediently like a puppy.

The rain had not let up. It was getting in Rory's eyes and into his mouth. There was a metallic taste to it that made him want to spit, but he resisted. The Doctor did not seem perturbed. He whistled 'Singing in the Rain' over and over again. At least if he was whistling he was not talking.

Now that the excitement of the race was off, Rory reckoned that his adrenaline was fading. His eyes stung from the rain and he was beginning to get a headache. His muscles ached, probably because of the running and climbing and falling on top of Amy. Maybe he was coming down with one of those colds that you get if you have been out in the rain too long.

"Do you know, I visited this planet once before," the Doctor said when he stopped whistling. "Used to be a lovely people, with some pretty nifty Jetpacks. Sure they weren't cannibals the last time, and I don't remember there being quite so much rain before, but people change over time. Take the Greeks. One minute the show's being run by some short block with a limp - Homer or something. Bit of an idiot, him, but could string together a verse or two. Had a good line in epic poetry. Then, the next minute they're inventing democracy. We'll have to go visit them one day."

And so on and so on. Rory had to ignore the constant chattering to concentrate on clearing a path, but he kept glancing back to check the Doctor was all right. He was still very pale and kept getting distracted like a child with glittering objects. Periodically he would interrupt his rambling with, "Oh, look, a butterfly," or, "That's a nice leaf," or,"My, that raindrop landed right on my nose." Rory still had to pull him along. There was no sign of the Rixxi.

Rory's mood and headache were not helped by slipping in a puddle of water that had gathered under a tree. Without both hands to protect himself, he found himself on his hands and knees spluttering cold water.

"Whoops. Why are you down there, Rory?" The Doctor stared at him with a gormless expression of curiosity and did nothing to help.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Rory muttered to the unasked enquiry after his help. He struggled back to stand and wiped off the worst of the mud. "Come on."

The Doctor waited until Rory took his hand again and tugged him in the right direction. Hopefully whatever poison he had been given would wear off soon. If for no other reason than Rory was getting close to hitting him if he kept this up.

Rory's headache took another leap when the Doctor asked, "Are you sure we're going the right way? This doesn't look like the right direction. I think I've seen that tree before. Twice."

Rory answered as calmly as he could. "We have to find the path. It shouldn't be long."

"I don't think you know what way to go, do you Rory?"

"Of course I do. It's just a little further this way."

"If I hadn't been poisoned, I wouldn't get lost. Rain or no rain. Unerring sense of direction, that's me. Never get lost. I might go the wrong way occasionally, but I never get lost. Often. Well, not too often. Maybe once or twice. There was that time in London, but I was running and it was hard to make evaluated decisions when running."

Rory tuned him out again, and carried on.

He did not want to admit it, but he was beginning to worry that they had indeed missed the path. It was possible that they were walking further away from the TARDIS instead of closer. The Doctor was getting slower and Rory had to keep up a constant pull on his arm to keep him moving. He was not sure how much longer they would be able to carry on without resting. They would be sitting targets for the Rixxi if they did, but if they did not find the path soon there would be no choice.

Just as he was deciding that they would have to stop for a minute so that he could clear his head, he stumbled into a clearer part of the forest. It took a moment for his brain to catch up with what he was seeing. The Doctor was quicker.

"Oh, a path. That's good. Was this what we were looking for? Will we find Amy now? And the TARDIS? I could do with getting dried up. Strange rain this. Tastes funny, doesn't it?"

"Yes. This is the path we were looking for. Come on. This way."

Rory continued to pull the Doctor along, but their passage was much easier now that there were no more trees in the way.

It felt like they walked twenty miles instead of just the one. Rory's headache was building rapidly, and his vision was beginning to blur around the edges. He ached all over and his brain cried out for a rest, but he needed to find Amy. The Doctor must have felt the same as his rambling muttering faded away. They walked in near silence, and that only added to Rory's worry. Chattering Doctor was normal. Silent Doctor was just wrong.

Then, mercy of small mercies, the rain began to lessen, then stop.

The Doctor broke his silence. "Oh, that's good, the rain's stopping. But I've been thinking. What if it was the rain that stopped the Rixxi from following us? Now that it's dry, maybe they'll come back. Hopefully I'm wrong though."

"Yeah, hopefully. Come on, not far to go now."

But the idea dented Rory's relief at the end of the rainstorm. They needed to find Amy. They needed to get out of here.

They were into the swath that the Rixxi had cut through the forest when the leaves of a dense tree in front of them moved. Rory pulled the Doctor behind him instinctively. He expected a crowd of angry aliens to emerge, but it was something scarier.

Amy. An angry, sore, frightened Amy. This time it was Rory who landed on the ground with her on top.

"What have you been doing? Where have you been? I was so worried. I thought I was going to have to come find you. And you!" She looked up at the Doctor and pointed. "What was that about, leaving us here?"

"Amy," Rory said quietly. "Leave it."

"But he shouldn't have left us on our own. Anything could have happened."

"It's complicated. The Doctor's not quite himself at the moment."

"Poisoned," the Doctor said happily. "I was poisoned. Then nearly eaten."

Amy gasped and put her hands over her mouth. She looked at Rory for reassurance that he did not feel. He felt tired and sick.

"I'll tell you later. I think we should just get back to the TARDIS. The Rixxi might be coming back. The Doctor thinks they were afraid of the rain."

She levered herself off him and balanced on her uninjured foot. Rory pulled himself up to stand beside her.

They must have been some sight struggling back to the TARDIS. Amy had her arm over Rory's shoulder so that she could hop as quickly as possible. Every time her injured foot touched the ground she would flinch, which threatened to upset their precarious balance even more. Her lips were squeezed tightly together, and it must have been agony, but she did not complain. Rory would have liked to help her more, but his other hand was gripping the Doctor's to stop him wandering off. He was not talking, and that worried Rory far more than the delirious ramblings.

And his headache was worse and he ached everywhere. Adding to that was the constant anxiety that the Rixxi might be on their way.

It felt like hours before they reached the familiar blue of the TARDIS. The sun was out and the air was warm, but Rory's wet clothes clung to his back and he was frozen.

He stared at the doors in confusion. He had one arm wrapped around Amy to stop her falling, and the other was still holding the Doctor. How was he meant to open it? He did not have enough hands.

"Key," Amy said.

"Oh, yeah. Key." What key, he thought.

"Want to see a trick," the Doctor said. It was the first time he had spoken in ages. He saved Rory explaining that he had no idea what Amy was talking about.

The Doctor clicked his fingers and the door opened.

Rory pushed the Doctor through first and Amy hopped through herself.

For a moment he stood in the warmth of the sun. It was a nice planet, he thought. Shame about the natives. If he never saw this place again, it would be too soon. He stumbled through the door and closed it behind him with a satisfying shove.

He leaned back and breathed deeply of the TARDIS air. It was cool. And safe. The relief was almost overwhelming and he took a moment to savour their escape.

He opened his eyes. He had not realised he had closed them. Even more disconcerting was the fact that he was sure he had not sat on the ground, but he was definitely seated on the floor now. No time to rest, he thought. The Doctor had been poisoned and Amy was hurt. He pushed himself up to stand, a trifle unsteadily, if he was honest.

"Right," he said to the Doctor. "You. Sit down."

The Doctor had been inspecting the console and was looking very interested in some of the buttons that had been part of the 'Things never to touch except in a dire emergency'-tour. But he sat down when Rory pointed, even if his expression was rebellious.

Amy had not needed to be told to sit down. She was in one of the chairs and rubbing her swollen ankle. "Ow," she whimpered.

Rory took a deep breath. He just wanted to lie down and sleep for a hundred years, but the job was not done yet.

The TARDIS had a nice collection of first aid material in a drawer just below the yellow button of squealing noises. All the bottles were labelled with broad stickers and large letters. That was good. Rory thought that smaller writing might have been a struggle to read at the moment; the blurring of his vision was getting to be a distraction that was hard to ignore. He took a 'generic anti-poison' for the Doctor and a couple of anti-inflammatories for Amy.

He was not sure if he should be relieved that the Doctor was still in his chair. He had his eyes closed, but opened them when Rory put a hand on his shoulder. "I found these," he said. "I think you should take them."

The Doctor looked at him with a glazed, bleary expression and put out a hand for the proffered tablets. He swallowed them both dry and curled up on the chair. He closed his eyes again and Rory guessed he must be sleeping.

He handed the other tablets to Amy. "Thanks," she said.

"You're welcome. Not sure how strong they are, but they should help."

"What happened back there?"

Rory felt exhausted, as though he had done a twenty four hour accident and emergency shift without a break. That was bad enough without the headache and the vision problems. He sat on the floor beside her chair and put his head onto his knees. His hands were shaking. How long had they been doing that for?

"They were going to eat him," he whispered. "He said the poison was to make their victims enjoy the music. I've never seen him like that. He wouldn't stop talking, then when he did it was worse." He did not want to discuss it. He changed the subject. "How's your ankle?"

"Sore. I think I'll live. Are you all right?"

"Fine. It's the Doctor you should be worried about. He was poisoned and then nearly eaten."

"And you're shaking, you look ghastly and you keep focusing somewhere over my left shoulder when you try to look at me. Maybe you should go to bed or something."

"It's just a headache. It'll wear off in a minute. Who is going to keep an eye on you two? The Doctor could get really sick."

Amy sighed. "Go to bed, Rory. I promise I'll stay with the Doctor."

"But I can't..."

"Rory Williams. Don't argue. Why are nurses always the most difficult patients? Go to bed."

He wanted to argue that this was a bad idea. He wanted to warn her that the Doctor had mentioned something about unusual poisons, and that she should keep her ankle up to stop the swelling, and who would look after them both if he went to sleep?

But the headache was awful. His vision was becoming worse and he felt that his legs belonged to someone else.

Somehow he managed to say, "You'll wake me up if there are any problems, won't you?"

"Of course I will." She shoved him gently.

Standing up was tricky, but he managed somehow. Walking was damn near impossible. The floor kept lurching around and the person who was controlling his legs did not seem inclined to listen to any of his instructions. He held it together long enough to get up the stairs. If Amy saw him struggling she would only worry.

He stumbled into the nearby bedroom. It was close enough to the control room that he could hear everything that was said. If Amy needed him, she would not even need to raise her voice.

Although, if he was honest, it was just the nearest bed. He could not have walked further without collapsing.

He did not even remember lying down.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

He woke slowly, like lingering in the moment before the alarm clock goes off. It may have been the people talking that roused him, although the voices were very quiet. He thought they must be in a different room, but not too far away. His eyelids felt too heavy to open, so he lay still and listened.

"Morning, sleepy-head." A girl voice was saying.

Mumbled noises. Someone else waking up.

Hmmm. He wondered what had happened. His memories were fuzzy, but that did not worry him the way it might have. He knew he was comfortable and somewhere familiar. Things had been happening, but they were not happening now.

Listen. He had said to someone that he was going to listen. It was an important thing. He should pay attention to important things, so he ignored the questions. (Like what was his name, and why could he not open his eyes?) He concentrated on the voices.

What was he listening for? Why?

No idea. Just listen, stupid.

"How are you feeling?" It was the girl voice.

A mumbled man voice replied. "Yeah. Good. All right, I think. Two legs, two arms, normal quota of digits. No cool Rixxi hat, but never mind. So, mostly recovered from a very interesting experience. Not really one I want to repeat, though. Yes. I'm good."

"You were poisoned."

"But not poisoned any more. All better now. See. How's your ankle? Let me look."

There was no talking for a moment. All he could hear was the background thrum of engines. That was a good noise. A safe noise.

He used the quiet moment to try to remember. Someone had been hurt. It wasn't a memory exactly, just a feeling. Someone important was hurt. And he was supposed to help. That was also an important thing. But how could he help when it was so muddled?

"It's a sprain." The man again. Who were they? Did they have names? (What was his own name again?) "Take a couple of these pills. Should sort it out."

"Rory said it was a sprain."

"Ah, yes. Rory. Where is Rory?"

Where was Rory? Was this an important thing too? Was it Rory who had been hurt? (What was his own name?) A sliver of dread slipped into the peacefulness. He tried to move, but couldn't. He had no idea what was happening. There was something wrong.

Listen.

"In bed. He was exhausted when we got back. He saved your neck, you know."

"Hmm. Not bad. Still a little unclear on the details, but not bad for a country boy from Leadworth."

"And my boyfriend."

"So he is. And a very nice one too. If a little ordinary."

A sound of a smack. "Oi! Saved your neck, remember."

"Yes, yes, and I was poisoned or I wouldn't have needed saving. I am normally perfectly capable of saving myself. Poisoning changes things a bit. Still, there was something strange about it."

Poison. That was an important thing. Someone was poisoned.

"Doctor, what do you mean?"

Doctor. The Doctor was poisoned. (What was his own name?) He tried to open his eyes, but the muscles did not respond. He could not even move his fingers. Don't panic, he thought. Take a deep breath and start again.

Should breathing be that hard?

"The poison was unusual. Not one that I've come across before, and I have a extensive knowledge about these things. Probably something natural, so where did the Rixxi find it? And why did they give it to me? They were going to eat me."

"I heard about the almost eating part."

"But why give poison to their meals? It doesn't make any sense. And I hate when things don't make sense. I need to ask Rory."

"He was sleeping."

He tried to open his eyes again. He tried to shout. Nothing. That sliver of dread was growing into panic. Paralysis, his brain said. He'd worked in a coma ward, so he knew what that meant. Voluntary muscle was bad enough, but it would probably only be a matter of time before the diaphragm and intercostals were affected. Breathing muscles. Then the heart...

"Well, he needs to wake up, doesn't he? I have questions. Questions about poison. Quickly now." There was an urgency in the voice now.

Questions. Lots of questions. Like if this Doctor was poisoned, why was talking? Why was he not lying here unable to open his eyes.

Oh, hell. Crap. Damn. Blast. He needed to get up. He needed to help Amy. He tried. He really, really tried, but all the force of his concentration could not open his eyes or help him speak.

Panic was bad. He tried to stay calm, but struggling to breathe was not helping.

Footsteps hurrying the stairs.

"Rory. Time to get up, Rory."

They were getting closer, so why were the voices quieter?

Breathing was hard. Who would have credited just how many muscles were involved in that simple act? None of them seem to respond anymore. At least it didn't hurt.

"What's wrong?" The girl. She sounded worried.

"Oh, Amy. Don't you see? I got it wrong. That stuff that the Rixxi gave me wasn't poison. It was an antidote. The poison was in the rain. It's always been the rain..." The voice mumbled on, but it was too quiet to hear.

Rain. Yes. He remembered rain.

He couldn't breathe. Sorry, Amy.

Who was Amy?

Then black.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note - Well, this is the last chapter. I hope you have enjoyed it (and assuming that you've managed to get here, I'm guessing that its held your interest long enough to reach chapter 5!) Again, thanks to thegreatsporkwielder for the marvellous beta work. And thank you to reviewers and silent readers and favourite markers alike. It's what makes fanfiction fun.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

Hours passed, or maybe it was only minutes before the blackness faded again. He was warm and comfortable in a bed that smelled of fabric softener. Muffled voices were talking nearby, but they sounded calm now. Rory. His name was Rory. That was a start. He took a small breath, and that felt all right too. Good. He had a vague impression of being awake and listening to voices before, but this felt different. Better.

His name was Rory and he was in the TARDIS and he had been on a planet in the rain and...

He opened his eyes, then squeezed them shut again in shock. When he tried again, he did it slower, but the effect was the same. The Doctor's face was still so close that he could see the flecks of colour in his eyes.

Rory tried to get out of the way and nearly rolled off the bed. "Bloody hell," he swore.

Then, to make matters worse, Amy leaned in even closer. She was almost near enough to touch his nose. Her expression was serious and her eyes were red. Had she been crying?

"Hello?" he said. "Is there something wrong?"

"Good. Fine," the Doctor said. "Open your mouth."

Rory did as he was told. The Doctor stuck a thermometer under his tongue.

"Now close your eyes."

Rory did this too, a little more warily. The air suddenly smelt sweet and dusty. He was reminded of the babies who used to come to his mother's house when she was a childminder. He cracked open one eye. The air was full of a dusting of white powder. Through this he could see the Doctor emptying a small plastic pot over the bed.

Talcum powder?

Rory sneezed and spat out thermometer. The Doctor inspected it seriously as Amy craned her neck over his shoulder to look too. Then he smiled. "All good, Rory. Much better."

"What's better?" His voice was hoarse, but that was probably because of the talc flying around the air. He made to sit up, and was a little surprised that the Doctor offered him a hand. He was even more surprised, and a little embarrassed, that it was necessary. At least the Doctor's grip was firm as ever. "Are you all right? The Rixxi poisoned you and tied you up. And is your ankle better, Amy?"

"My ankle is fine, silly," she said, and showed off a neatly tied bandage.

"Doctor?"

If it were not for the fact that it was the Doctor, Rory might have thought he flushed with embarrassment. "Yes. Rory. It's fine now. The poison is all dealt with, and hopefully no residual effects."

"But you were really weird. I mean, weirder than usual."

"Fine now, thank you. A couple of little pills, some sleep and I'm as good as new. Although I'm not sure I'm going to be able to listen to 'Singing in the Rain' in quite the same way any more. Now you, Rory, that's a different matter."

"What do you mean?"

"Poison rain!" Amy said.

"What rain?"

Amy punched his arm. "Rain. It's the wet stuff that falls from the sky."

"I told you it tasted funny," the Doctor said. "At least, I think I told you that. Some of it was a big muddled back there and I was finding thread of the conversation a little hard to follow. Anyway. Poison rain. A combination of very interesting chemicals that I will not bore you with. It must have formed years ago as a result of all the pollution from the Rixxi city. Never trust a Jetpack, I have decided. The stuff was obviously very bad for the Rixxi; probably wiped most of them out, and it also was very bad for humans and wouldn't be all that good for Time Lords either. Why do you think the Rixxi hid under that shelter and wouldn't follow us? They knew the rain would kill them."

Rory thought for a moment to let his brain catch up. "But you were in the rain as well. And you, Amy. Why aren't you covered in talc?"

"I was not in the rain," Amy said. "I stayed under that tree. I'd just straightened my hair, and I was not going to frizz it up without good reason." She said it flippantly, but there was a serious expression on her face that belied the lightness of the words.

"And the poison in the rain was counteracted by the Rixxi's drink. Foul, disgusting stuff that it was too, but very effective once it hits the bloodstream. The... well, psychological effects were probably just a side effect. I'm betting that they use the drink to neutralise the poison in the animals they eat. And if they use it chronically themselves, it would explain the lack of a coherent language. It turned me into a blithering idiot; who knows what it might do to a normal person."

"I dread to think. But couldn't I have had the drink version too? Instead of the talc?" Rory wiped it off his face so he could see again.

"You did," Amy said. "You were sleeping."

There was something about the look in her eyes that made him realise that he did not want to know what had happened when he had been 'sleeping'.

The Doctor slipped into lecture mode. "Talc is a naturally occurring mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate. I could tell you the chemical formula, but, quite frankly, who cares. It's the softest mineral that humanity is currently aware of, but far more interesting are its absorbent properties. Just the right thing to protect the body from the effects of a poisonous rain. And it is no good if you wipe it off." He puffed more powder at Rory.

"Why does it have to be Johnson's Baby Powder. I feel like I'm six years old surrounded by screaming toddlers."

"The TARDIS only has two kinds of talcum powder. Johnson's Baby Powder and something called 'Old Lady Christmas Present-talc.' I thought you would prefer this one," Amy said. She sprinkled more on his head.

"Yeah, this is better I suppose."

"Good," the Doctor said. "Now go and fetch a cup of tea, Amy."

"But..."

"Yes. Cup of tea."

She looked ready to pout, then reconsidered and flounced off to the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Rory said warily, for the Doctor's expression had become very serious. It looked like he was going to pronounce that Rory had a terminal disease or something equally awful.

"I just wanted to say... Look, Rory..." He paused and inspected his hands.

"I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. Not that at all... I just wanted to say... what you did in the forest with the Rixxi and everything... it was brilliant. Plain brilliant. Fantastically brilliant. Sometimes I might forget to tell people, but not this time. You were brilliant. I could hug you if you weren't covered in talc, and it wasn't saving your life."

"Umm, thanks."

"And another thing. I wasn't myself back there. That stuff might have affected me more than I let on. So some stuff I said wasn't really what I think. Or at least not what I mean when I think it. You understand? Probably best if you just pretend that I didn't say it at all."

He looked so worried that Rory could only say slowly, "Okay."

"And you won't tell Amy? Well except from the general idea, of course."

"I was a bit busy. I wasn't really listening properly." Still, Rory wracked his memory for something embarrassing that the Doctor might have said and came up with nothing more than an interesting opinion of the Greeks.

"That's brilliant, Rory. Thank you. Brilliant."

"Right. Okay. You're welcome," Rory said awkwardly.

The Doctor obviously couldn't resist. He hugged Rory and beamed. Of course that necessitated more talcum powder until Rory sneezed again.

"Thank you. For all of it, the rescue and everything. Brilliant. Did I say that?"

"I think you did."

"Good."

And when Amy came back, she carried three mugs of hot tea. They drank up until the Doctor told Rory he had to lie down before he fell over. He chased Amy back into the control room to leave him in peace.

The last thing Rory remembered before falling into a proper sleep was the Doctor patting him on the shoulder. "Thank you, brilliant, ordinary Rory Williams. Glad you came along."

_Fin_


End file.
